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Michigan State DT Tyler Hoover says Spartans' senior leadership has made the difference

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Michigan State defensive tackle Tyler Hoover, shown here taking in his Senior Day introduction at Spartan Stadium, has been the leader of State's defensive line and will play a pivotal role in the outcome of the Rose Bowl game against Stanford on Jan. 1.
(J. Scott Park | MLive.com)

EAST LANSING — Michigan State sixth-year senior defensive tackle Tyler Hoover said this season has been different -- right from the start -- than any other he has worn the green and white.

"Our goal, from Day One, it wasn't to get to the Rose Bowl, it was to win the Rose Bowl,'' Hoover said. "No one is happy right now. We're not done. That's the whole senior class' statement. We're not done, we have another game to win.''

The Cardinal was favored by 1.5 points when the betting line came out. It's around 6 points less than two weeks later, an indication that the majority of bettors are picking Stanford to beat Michigan State.

"We love being the underdog,'' Hoover said. "You tell us we're not good enough, and it's gonna give us the drive to say let's go. That's your opinion, and now we're going to show you. Spartans have always had that mentality.

"It's going to fuel us and it's going to piss us off. It's one more game for us to prove it and change what people think of us across the entire nation.''

Hoover explained that Michigan State's senior leadership has been the key to the Spartans' magical 2013 Big Ten championship season.

"The change of people since I've been here is amazing to see,'' said Hoover, a January enrollee in 2008. "Our seniors are natural leaders, they want to do good, they have the chip and are looking to succeed and go further. In the past, it was 'let's make it to the bowl game' — not the coaches, the players. This class it was, 'Let's win the Rose Bowl. From Day One this year our goals were set higher than any other class.

"The unity of this team is beyond any other team I've been a part of.''

Hoover said the 2008 signing class wasn't coach Mark Dantonio's best.

"That 2008 class had troubles when they were young,'' he said. "Half that class was kicked off the team. Just not having enough leaders. This year there's a whole set of seniors willing to speak up and do something when necessary.''

Hoover has stepped up to anchor the defensive line, as his 30 tackles are only three short of leading the defensive tackles (Micajah Reynolds has 33) despite the fact Hoover missed 2 1/2 games with a strained calf muscle.

The Michigan State defensive line was a strength at the start of the season, but the past few games opponents have started to utilize more double teams to open holes.

That was the case against Ohio State, as the Buckeyes dominated the third quarter at the line of scrimmage before the Spartans' adjusted to the change in their blocking techniques.

"Ohio State had a great o-line, they made some good adjustments in the second half,'' Hoover said. "In the first half, they weren't staying on the double teams that long, they were kind of chipping us. Second half, they stayed on us longer.

"Then we changed to be a little stronger on the double teams.''

The result was Michigan State holding the Buckeyes to 25 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter of its 34-24 win.

Hoover said Stanford presents a different challenge.

"They like getting six or seven offensive linemen out there, and they use their young o-linemen as tight ends just to get more offensive linemen on the field,'' Hoover said. "We'll definitely be tested, and we love the challenge. We'll accept it, and we'll be prepared to handle it.

"They kind of play like a Big Ten kind of team. They run power, they run inside zone, and isos. There's not too many Pac 10 teams that run downhill and try to challenge front sevens. You'll see them get in a four-point stance and come off the ball, a legit four-point stance, and they go at it.''